Health is shaped by more than individual choices—it is deeply influenced by where people live. KDHRC’s newest research brief, “Geography as a Determinant of Health: Understanding Place-Based Differences in Health Outcomes,” examines how location drives disparities in health and highlights…
Did you know that only 25% of high school students sleep for the recommended 8-10 hours every night? Teens who sleep less than 8 hours per night are more likely to experience stress, anxiety, impaired decision-making, and worsened memory compared…
Here at KDHRC, we love some healthy competitions! Of course, the Olympic Games are right up our alley, so we had to have some fun with our own games! This is Office Olympics: Nerds in the Snow! Each KDHRC team…
Today, we celebrate those quiet heroes, who are caring for their parent with dementia, their partner faced with a chronic illness, their child with special needs, or a stranger in recovery who has become a friend. Whether caregiving is your…
We celebrate International LEGO Day today, which was designated to commemorate the filing of the patent for the LEGO brick system in 1958. Since then, the small plastic brick has become an iconic symbol of creativity and imagination. Did you…
Oral health care is more than cosmetic smiles and routine cleanings; for many, it is about pain management, preventing infections, and ensuring children can eat, speak, and learn comfortably. Our newest research brief, “Oral Health Access in the United States:…
In recent years, nicotine pouches have increased in popularity among young adults and adolescents. Our latest research brief, “Nicotine Pouch Use in the United States: Increased Rates, Health Effects, and Considerations,” highlights concern for youth’s health given rapidly increasing use…
KDHRC is proud to announce that we have been awarded funding for Phase I of our Small Business Innovation Research proposal to develop a Clearinghouse for oral health research and clinical trials (OHRCT). The Clearinghouse will be a web-based interactive…
While everyone enjoys a sweet treat from time to time, it’s important to remember the negative impacts of sugar on oral health – especially this time of year! Dental cavities, also known as caries, are the most common chronic disease…
Did you know that October is Squirrel Awareness Month? At KDHRC, our mascot Earl the Squirrel reminds us that curiosity, agility, and preparation are not just traits of squirrels; they are qualities that drive intrepid research and meaningful impact. Earl…
Maternal health in the United States remains a serious public health problem. Maternal deaths are two to three times higher than in other high-income countries,1 and most of these deaths are preventable. In 2022, the U.S. maternal mortality rate was…
October is World Menopause Awareness Month!1 This month is a great time to raise awareness about the physical, emotional, and professional impacts of menopause on women. A KDHRC staffer recently attended a webinar hosted by the National Institutes of Health’s…
As a women-founded and -led company focused on savvy approaches to complex problems, KDHRC cares deeply about breast cancer education and prevention. Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer diagnosed in women, after skin cancer, with approximately…
Wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers are becoming powerful tools for understanding and improving health. Our latest research brief, “Exploring the Role of Wearable Devices in Promoting Behavior Change and Monitoring Health Outcomes,” highlights how these devices track sleep,…
Maternal mortality in the U.S. is the highest among developed nations, and low-income mothers in the U.S. face the greatest risks. Over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths could be prevented with reasonable changes to patient, family, provider and/or community factors, emphasizing…
Did you know KDHRC also provides IRB services? KDHRC provides commercial Institutional Review Board services to social-behavioral researchers and institutions, organizations, and companies ready to launch their research studies and investigations. Since 2007, our Institutional Review Board (IRB) has been…
Earlier this month, KDHRC staffers attended the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) Unity Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Staffers had the wonderful opportunity to connect and engage with many incredible community health workers (CHWs), CHW leadership, and CHW allies…
The last research brief for our Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. series is out! As a reminder, our first three research briefs in the series covered Awareness (increasing recognition, knowledge, and understanding), Workforce Development and Operations (highlighting interprofessional…
In honor of America's 249th Independence Day, here are five fun facts about Independence Day along with some public health tips to keep you and your family safe: In 2024, the U.S. spent nearly 470 million dollars on imported fireworks…
This week’s research brief for our Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. series is out! As a reminder, our first research brief in the series started with the Awareness pillar (increasing recognition, knowledge, and understanding) while our second research…
Another research brief for our Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. series is out! As a reminder, our first research brief in the series started with the Awareness pillar, focusing on the importance of increasing recognition, knowledge, understanding, and…
KDHRC recently published a new research brief series entitled Oral Medical Care Coordination in the U.S. This research brief series breaks down our report on a systematic literature review and our recommendations for future oral medical care frameworks. Oral Medical…
Last fall, KDHRC shared, “Oral Medical Care Coordination: A Systematic Literature Review and Guide Forward,” a report that we created in collaboration with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). This report provides a systematic literature review on oral…
June is men’s health month. By raising awareness, we can empower men to make smart health decisions and improve long-term outcomes. Here are five fast facts to remember: Men are less likely to seek medical care. Studies show that men…
With summer in full swing, KDHRC is here to break down some common sunscreen misconceptions. Here are three myths with corresponding facts about sunscreen! Myth #1: I don't need sunscreen because my skin tans, but it never burns. Fact…
Did you know May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month? As KDHRC continues to develop the Personalized Approaches to Habits - Sleep (PATH-S), a gamified phone app to encourage teens with asthma to improve their sleep, we want to remind…
May is Lupus Awareness Month and, at KDHRC, we’re honored to stand with individuals living with lupus and those who support them. KDHRC is proud to work alongside dedicated partners to expand awareness, education, and support for lupus communities. In…
As we continue to enjoy the spring weather of May, it’s also the start of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month! The KDHRC staff are serious about all aspects of health, including physical movement and wellness. With a fully remote…
Last month, our Senior Account Manager Jordan Hartley and Account Manager Morgan Fleming traveled to New Orleans to engage with peers in the tobacco prevention field at the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco. They focused on sessions exploring…
On March 11, 2025, KDHRC hosted a 3-hour webinar titled Postpartum Health: Navigating Barriers to Mental and Physical Well-Being Among High-Risk Populations. Experts and attendees discussed the challenges and issues surrounding maternal mortality and identified critical gaps in maternal health…
In collaboration with ProVention Health Foundation, KDHRC recently published a research brief on the Health and Lifestyle Training (HALT) program that increases accessibility to quality prediabetes and diabetes prevention information using a fully remote, asynchronous approach that reduces barriers to…
The U.S. is currently facing one of the most intense flu seasons in the last 15 years, with flu activity surging across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), doctor’s visits for flu-like symptoms have…
Happy Valentine’s Day! On this love- and heart-focused day, we want to highlight the KDH Research & Communication-developed program CARDIAC, or Cardiac Rare Disease and Conditions. CARDIAC is designed to address the gap of information about Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM)…
In collaboration with our amazing partners at the American College of Rheumatology, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of Rochester Medical Center, KDHRC published evaluation findings from an Office of Minority Health- (OMH) funded project to engage…
We’re excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Guardians Receiving Information through Navigators (GRIN), our online professional development course designed to prepare community health workers (CHWs) to provide oral health outreach to low-income Black parents and guardians…
This past year, KDHRC published a wide range of Informing Public Health research briefs, sharing insights on key issues that impact our communities, such as youth vaping trends, challenges faced by caregiver, and the potential roles of artificial intelligence in…
KDHRC is proud to partner with Alelo in creating a groundbreaking conversational artificial intelligence (AI) avatar to train community health workers (CHWs) through the Monitoring and Outreach for Maternal Safety (MOMS) Postpartum course. MOMS equips CHWs to support postpartum minority…
Happy New Year! KDHRC is excited about the impactful work we will undertake this year and the opportunity to explore new endeavors. In the spirit of New Year’s resolutions, the American Public Health Association (APHA) has launched their 2025 Winter…
KDHRC Highlights from the Southeast CHW Networking Summit KDHRC participated in the third Annual Southeast Community Health Worker (CHW) Networking Summit, a two-day event held in midtown Atlanta. This gathering brought together CHWs and allies from 11 states, including Georgia,…
KDHRC partnered with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) to conduct a systematic literature review of oral medical care coordination for whole person care. Poor oral health is associated with a range of systemic conditions including cardiovascular disease,…
KDHRC is proud to announce we have been awarded funding for Phase II of our Small Business Innovation Research program entitled “Intervention to Help Orient Men to Excel (IN-HOME). IN-HOME addresses the pressing need for a culturally appropriate, evidence-based online…
KDHRC’s “Informing Public Health” research brief series aims to disseminate innovative, objective, and timely information to solve public health and social issues. KDHRC recently published a new research brief titled Flavor Danger: Exploring Toxin Exposure During ENDS Use. Electronic nicotine…
Earlier this month, KDHRC Account Associate Morgan Fleming traveled to Chicago, Illinois for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) 23rd Annual Mid-Year Training Institute. As an avid conference presenter and attendee, Morgan was impressed with the variety in workshop…
Did you know that Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is opening a new hospital in September 2024? The Arthur M. Blank Hospital, which will be located in North Druid Hills, will have 19 stories and more than 446 beds to…
The sun is not the only thing shining bright this summer – so is KDHRC! We are proud to announce we were awarded funding for Phase I of our SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program entitled “Personalized Approach to Habits-…
Last month, Program Manager Dexter Cooper and Senior Research Manager Nikki Wanty attended the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) Community Meeting. Each year, the Lupus Therapeutics and Lupus Research Alliance holds an annual two-day LuCIN Community Meeting, and this year’s…
Earlier this month, Morgan Fleming, an Account Associate at KDH Research & Communication, presented new research at the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA) Conference in Jekyll Island, GA. During her 30-minute roundtable discussion, Morgan shared our analysis of how parents…
Nicole Wanty, KDHRC’s senior research manager, attended the Patient Advocates for Lupus Studies (PALS) 2.0 training in Palm Springs, CA from March 20-22, 2024. The PALS program is a peer-to-peer program to increase diversity and participation in lupus clinical trials…
Did you know that KDHRC releases new, exciting research briefs each month on topics as varied as youth vaping behavior, wearable fitness devices, and artificial intelligence? Our Informing Public Health research series summarizes our research advances across our areas of…
On February 7 and 8 2024, KDHRC had the privilege of attending the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors’ (NACDD) Open House and Annual Public Health Program Success Showcase. At the Open House, KDHRC was able to reconnect with many…
In exciting news to kick off project work in the new year, KDHRC has been awarded funding for Phase II of our SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program Guardians Receiving Information through Navigators (GRIN). GRIN is a health-equity oral health…
In September, Project Manager Dexter Cooper attended the Meharry Oral Systemic Integration Summit hosted by the Meharry Medical College’s School of Dentistry in Nashville, TN. At this meeting, a diverse group of attendees, including those representing the dental profession, academia,…
Happy Flounder’s Day! No, that is not a typo. Today, we’re celebrating the founding of KDHRC. Yes, we recognize that KDHRC’s mascot is a squirrel, not a fish. But somewhere along the way, FOUNDER turned into FLOUNDER! So, what is…
This month, ACR Open Rheumatology published a new paper authored by several KDHRC staffers: Andrew Simkus, Nikki Wanty, Annie McNeill, and Kristen Holtz. In this article, KDHRC and our colleagues assessed outcomes on the Lupus Therapeutics’ Patient Advocates for Lupus…
In May 2023, Lupus Therapeutics and Lupus Research Alliance held a two-day Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) Community Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. The meeting was for stakeholders including researchers, pharmaceutical companies, community leaders, and people living with lupus to…
Did you know tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children in the U.S.? It afflicts nearly one in four Americans ages 3 to 5 and is preventable. The prevalence of tooth decay increases from 21 percent among…
Follow KDHRC's new one-pager series on youth vaping Vaping seems ubiquitous among youth. In KDHRC’s one-pager series Vaping Attitudes Youth Perspectives Survey, or VAYPS, we use a robust proprietary data set to explore associations between youth vaping usage and various…
Want to stay updated on the latest and greatest public health news? Or have you ever wanted to know why ice hockey fans throw objects on the ice? KDHRC has got you covered! KDHRC is excited to announce the reinvigoration…
On May 03, 2023, KDHRC co-hosted a day-long meeting in Atlanta, Georgia with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Oral Health. The goal of the meeting was to…
Research has consistently shown that female adolescents have experienced worse pandemic related stress than males. While a multitude of social, biological, and behavioral factors help explain gender differences in pandemic related mental wellness, we wondered whether parents’ interpretations of their…
Holtz, K., Simkus, A., Fleming, M., Wanty, N., & Twombly, E. How self-ratings of risk-taking, self-control, and leadership relate to youth vaping onset Youth with higher vape usage had significantly higher self-ratings of risk taking than youth who had not…
Wanty, N.I., Cooper, D.L., Simkus A., Twombly, E.C., McCalla, S., Holtz, K.D., et al (2022). A provider-based approach to address racial disparities in lupus clinical trial participation An online educational course to train medical providers to refer Black and Latino…
Holtz, K., Simkus, A., Fleming, M., Wanty, N., & Twombly, E. (2022). Sleep deprivation and adolescent susceptibility to vaping in the United States Adolescent sleep deprivation is associated with susceptibility to vaping, which suggests new approaches for prevention. Click here…
Holtz, K., Simkus, A., Fleming, M., Wanty, N., & Twombly, E. How exposure to influencers promoting vapes on social media relates to degree of use among adolescents Youth with higher vape usage report significantly greater exposure to influencers promoting vapes…
If you’ve ever tried to change a habit—or convince someone else to do so—you know firsthand that behavior change is hard. Because we like the hard stuff at KDHRC, a large part of what we do every day is helping…
In March and April of 2020, KDHRC successfully conducted 28 virtual focus groupswith adults across the U.S. to gather qualitative input for a national preventioncampaign, Every Try Counts (ETC). The unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic escalatedquickly and prompted many rapid changes to…
On November 19, 2019 KDHRC launched AVOID -- our anti-vaping prevention program for middle and high school students. We are proud to offer a science-based prevention program for schools and communities to teach middle and high school age youth about the risks…
KDHRC started the year off strong at the 4th annual National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) Showcase 2020, which took place in Atlanta, GA. This year's Showcase theme was “Elevating Public Health to Social Health – Establishing Multisectoral Partnerships…
KDHRC launched AVOID on November 19, 2019! We are proud to offer an evidence-based prevention program for schools and communities to teach middle and high school age youth about the risks of vaping. AVOID was designed to make prevention efforts easy and comes…
KDHRC had the pleasure of hosting the AVOID Scientific Panel on Youth Vaping. On December fifth, we invited members of the Atlanta community who work with youth to join us at the Friendly Human studio to engage in discussion with…
In November, KDHRC celebrated our thirteen-year anniversary. As part of our annual "Flounder's Day" (= Founder's Day- but if you know, you know) we headed to the Atlanta Beltline to participate in a scavenger hunt. We split into three teams…
In November, KDHRC president and founder, Kristen Holtz, was interviewed by WSB-TV's Tom Regan to talk about AVOID - our anti-vaping prevention program for middle and high school students. In the interview, Kristen gave Tom an overview of all the…
In late October, KDHRC attended the fourth annual National Institutes of Health Tobacco Regulatory Science Meeting (NIHTRSM). The NIHTRSM was created through the common goal of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to…
In collaboration with the Maryland Department of Health's (MDH) Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control (CTPC), KDHRC seeks to better understand statewide trends in vapes and tobacco use among youth and young adults in Maryland. As a part of this…
Last week the AJC reported that Atlanta Public Schools are preparing to update their drug and alcohol policy to specifically include vaping. Kristen Holtz, KDHRC president and APS parent, helped rewrite the policy to include clearer language on vaping and emerging…
-- September 2019 Kristen Holtz, KDHRC founder and president, co-authored a manuscript recently published in the British Medical Journal outlining results from qualitative research conducted by the Food and Drug Administration with evaluation assistance from KDHRC to test their ENDS…
--October 2019 KDHRC launched the AVOID Vaping Fast Facts Webinar, an 8-part series that covers a wide range of vaping product topics. Topics will include coverage on vape-related deaths and illnesses, vape-related policy change, the history of big tobacco marketing…
-- September 2019 Congratulations to KDHRC researchers Nikki Wanty, Joncel Stephens, and president Kristen Holtz, for their recent publication in the Journal of Clinical Medicine! This article was written in collaboration with Saira Sheikh from UNC and Sheryl McCalla from…
--August 2019 In late August, KDHRC attended the National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. While in attendance, KDHRC presented new research findings from the FDA’s The Real Cost Campaign and from our very own program, AVOID…
--July 2019 KDHRC Attends CADCA Mid Year to gain program development insight from leaders in the anti-drug community. To promote AVOID, a media-based online toolkit for vape prevention for youth ages 12 to 16, and gain program development insight from leaders…
--May 2019 The Georgia Public Health Association held its 90th Annual Meeting and Conference in early May in Atlanta, GA. KDHRC staff members attended and delivered 30-minute workshops on five different projects. Two of our promotores training programs were on the…
--January 2019 KDHRC supplies drug prevention resources for North Dakota school administrators conference KDHRC was invited to attend The North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (NDASSP) Mid-Winter Conference from January 30th- February 1st. The association consist of more than…
--January 2019 KDHRC attends PALS training hosted by Lupus Therapeutics KDHRC visits Miami, Florida for the Patient Advocates for Lupus Studies (PALS) training hosted by Lupus Therapeutics. During this two-day training, 12 lupus patient advocates will receive education and instruction…
--January 2019 KDHRC launches fourth year of support to ACR’s CDC co-op, kicks-off VERA. KDHRC has been supporting and collaborating with the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for more than seven years. Since 2016, we’ve supported ACR’s work on a…
--December 2018 KDHRC staffers named to Board of Directors for state hearing loss organization. KDHRC proudly recognizes two staffers for their election to the Board of Directors for AG Bell's Georgia chapter. Nicole Wanty, Senior Research Associate, will serve as…
--November 2018 KDHRC launches monthly newsletter KDHRC proudly announces the launch of our monthly electronic newsletter. The e-newsletter highlights recent accomplishments, partnership opportunities, and introduces program, services, and staffers. You can view the first edition or subscribe, here.
--Octubre 2018 KDH Research and Communication anuncian orgullosamente el lanzamiento de Dientes Fuertes, Vida Sana, un programa de entrenamiento para promotores que realizan actividades de salud dental para niños de familias latinas con bajo ingresos. Para la liberación el 11…
--October 2018 KDH Research and Communication proudly announces the launch of Dientes Fuertes, Vida Sana (Strong Teeth, Healthy Life), a training program for promotores conducting children’s dental health outreach with low-income Latino families. For release on October 11, 2018 from…
--September 2018 FDA launches first-ever national teen vaping prevention campaign with Surgeon General Jerome Adams and FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Today, the FDA launched “The Real Cost” Youth E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign. The campaign consists of hard-hitting advertising on digital and…
--August 2018 Teen tobacco prevention campaign, The Real Cost, saves more than $31 billion in smoking-related costs. A report from RTI states that since its launch in 2014, FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products’ (CTP) campaign, The Real Cost, has saved…
--August 2018 KDHRC licenses oral health program for promotores training. KDH Research & Communication (KDHRC) recently the sold licensing rights for the Dientes Fuertes, Vida Sana (DFVS) program to the South Texas Promotora Association (STPA). On October 6, 2018 STPA…
--August 2018 KDHRC granted advocate status from The National Afterschool Association. The National Afterschool Association, a membership association for professionals who work with child and youth, has added KDHRC as an advocate. The award-winning organization has a membership bank of…
--August 2018 Researcher receives promotion, now Senior Research Associate KDHRC is proud to announce that Nicole I. Wanty has been promoted to Senior Research Associate. Nicole has been on our research staff for more than eight years. During her time…
--July 2018 Presenting the dangers of vaping to local school faculty and staff In addition to developing AVOID, our vaping prevention program for youth, KDHRC presents regularly to school boards and schools about the dangers of vaping. Recently, one of…
--July 2018 KDHRC receives Puentes Fast Track Funding from NIH KDHRC is proud to announce a FastTrack award for an NIH SBIR grant. To complete Puentes, we will develop, implement, and rigorously evaluate a culturally competent, online professional development course…
--July 2018 KDHRC receives Cochlear Implant University Phase 2 funding from NIH KDHRC is proud to announce their award of SBIR Phase II funding to continue the development and evaluation of Cochlear Implant University (CIU). This program is designed to…
--July 2018 KDHRC attends and exhibits at CADCA MidYear in Orlando KDHRC attended CADCA’s MidYear event, a training session for drug prevention coalition leaders across the county. The event was attended by more than 2,000 professionals and had a record-breaking…
--July 2018 KDHRC presents on cochlear implant program at Healthy Aging Summit in Washington D.C. Hearing loss researcher, Nicole Wanty, presented preliminary findings from an evaluation of the RCCI prototype. RCCI, or Cochlear Implant Resource Center: Online Resources for Older…
--June 2018 Laura Gover and Nicole Wanty attend AG Bell’s 2018 Convention in Scottsdale, KDHRC exhibits We recently attended AG Bell’s annual convention to promote KDHRC’s three cochlear implant programs; The CI Toolkit, Cochlear Implant University, and Online Resources for…
--June 2018 Laura Gover and Nicole Wanty attend Hearing Loss Association of America’s 2018 Convention in Minneapolis, Nicole presents on RCCI. We recently attended HLAA’s annual convention to promote KDHRC’s three cochlear implant programs; The CI Toolkit, Cochlear Implant University,…